Birth of An Era
by MythicWolf04
Summary: Two old friends reunite with joy against the backdrop of a concluded war. [Bill/Fox]
1. Tanjō

_When is this gonna end?_

Fox tapped his foot on the metal floor of the stage, watching General Pepper's mouth move without hearing him speak. He glanced over at Falco who just seemed to be sleeping, and he snorted.

Peppy, on the other hand, was hanging on to Pepper's every word with a smile on his face. Fox rolled his eyes while he crossed his arms and looked over to Slippy who was twitching in his chair but was still paying attention to the General. Fox assumed he just wanted to be back at the Great Fox, and he had to agree with that.

Fox would rather be anywhere but that stupid ceremony in Corneria Park.

It was to commemorate the end of the war and applaud the efforts of the Cornerian Army in their valiant fight against the tyrannical Andross, but Fox knew it was bullshit. His entire team knew. It was just a bunch of semantics until Pepper gave out some medals to Star Fox.

 _What good are medals and pretty words if they can't bring back Bill?_

Fox sunk further in his chair as his temples throbbed.

"-and I would also like to recognize the Cornerian Defense Force on Katina for maintaining their post despite heavy casualties during an assault earlier this month. You have all fought valiantly and earned a much-needed rest. We will be sure to identify those who perished in the fight-"

Fox's ears perked. He studied the crowd before the large stage with half-lidded eyes, catching groups of helmeted individuals in between the masses of civilians. Surely one of them could be his best friend, right?

A scowling Peppy broke Fox from his thoughts when he woke Falco with a sharp jab to the ribs. "Wh- what?"

General Pepper glanced back at them with a hardened gaze, not pausing his speech. Fox chuckled while he covered his hand with a mouth.

"Sorry, this is just boring." Falco wiped the sleep from his eyes and sat back up in his chair. "Why's it so damn hot?"

Fox flicked Falco's bare shoulder. "It's summer. 98 degrees out and that's not even the high today." He shrugged, grateful that he left his flight jacket on the Great Fox.

"I'm actually gonna die." Falco covered his face with a wing and Fox laughed, which earned him another glare from Pepper and more civilians to turn and watch them.

"You're tragic." Fox grinned and Falco stuck his tongue out at him.

"-applaud their brave and valiant efforts in the war, including destroying the maniacal Andross himself, I would like the Star Fox team to come over here to receive their medals!" Pepper gestured to the four individuals, and the crowd erupted in raucous applause.

Fox took the cue to stand as did his friends. He smiled and waved to the cheering civilians while he walked to the General, and they were eating it up. He didn't quite understand how they could stand being packed so close together in the heat.

He stopped next to the podium, and the General stepped down from it as he waved a husky in a suit over to them. The husky handed him four blue diamond-shaped medals and Pepper turned to smile at the team, his eyes shining.

"I present the Lylat Star to you four for your job in turning the tide of the war. On behalf of all of Lylat, I thank you, Fox McCloud." He put the medal on Fox's neck and shook his hand with a strong grip for an old hound.

Fox thanked him before walking to the other side of the stage to stand before the crowd. They hadn't ceased their cheers, and he continued to keep a smile on his sweating face while he scanned over the crowd.

 _Maybe he's down there?_

The fleet of Katina was massacred; the chances of him surviving are slim to none.

But there's still a chance.

Falco stood next to Fox a moment later, not even trying to fake a grin. "Whatcha doin' Foxy?" He set his hands on his hips and looked at the crowd as well.

"Looking for someone." Fox felt his smile weaken and his shoulders slump. Falco set a hand on his shoulder.

"It's Bill, right?" Fox nodded and looked at Falco, who rolled his eyes. _Maybe he really is..._

"Don't cry you baby; he's right there!" Falco pointed towards the edge of the crowd, and sure enough, Fox could see him.

It was Bill Grey dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and khakis. He was waving his hands in the air with a huge grin on his face. Fox stared at him, the act of being polite forgotten.

"He's alive." Fox blinked and Falco laughed as he slapped Fox's back. He could hear Peppy shush them but paid it no mind.

"I've been telling you he would be!" Fox broke out into a stupid smile as his chest swelled. His head felt lighter than air and a tear pricked at his eye.

 _He was alive!_

Bill gave him a thumbs up and mouthed something he couldn't quite make out, but it didn't matter. Fox did the same and Bill pointed towards the fountain off to the left of the stage.

"Got it," Fox whispered, which made Falco raise his brows. He wrapped a wing around Fox's shoulders and leaned down.

"I've got ya covered, don't worry." Fox fist bumped Falco before he composed himself and prepared to endure the rest of Pepper's speech.

Relief and joy washed through Fox in waves as he thought of his best friend. How did Bill survive? What was his story about Katina? Did he miss Fox as badly as he did? Did Bill's chest ache every time he thought of Fox?

Fox spaced out while the General rambled and he started to study the skyscrapers rising up over the trees of the park to pass the time. He could spot neon orange construction tarp covering the tops and sides of buildings to hide the scars of war, and they sent a sense of melancholy washing through him. Bandages were covering the gashes on the skin of Corneria and helping speed the healing process.

One day in the future any trace of Andross's reign would vanish, and nobody would have to live in a world where conflict was accepted as a constant of life.

Fox felt another tear come to his eye. A tarp was peeled from a high rise, revealing the pristine new glass underneath.

He was snapped from his stupor by a mass of blue moving across his vision. "Yo, he's done boring the crowd," Falco remarked. He could hear the crowd applauding even louder than before.

Fox turned his head and saw Pepper step down from the podium and turn around to exit from the rear of the stage behind a large blue curtain. Two soldiers moved the fabric so he could duck through, and just before it fell Fox caught the General taking off his red hat and starting to pant. He snickered as he walked with his team to the back. They all ducked under the curtain.

A caravan of cars awaited the group of Cornerian officials by the stage while Star Fox got nothing but a pat on the back and a wish of good luck. Fox heard Peppy complaining about the selfishness of the government nowadays but paid it no mind as his gaze settled on the twenty-foot tall centerpiece of a fountain.

Falco elbowed him. "We'll meet you at the coffee shop on 3rd and Lincoln." Fox nodded and started to jog to the fountain but he was stopped by a hand grasping his elbow.

"Might need these, Foxy." Falco shoved a pair of aviators in Fox's hand and winked. "Hide your identity."

"Thanks." Fox rolled his eyes and put the sunglasses on as he headed to the fountain.

When he cleared the vicinity of the stage he looked at the crowd that was starting to disperse. There had to have been at least ten thousand people at that ceremony, and millions more watching the broadcast from home.

Fox took the medal off and shoved it in his pocket before he walked to the fountain, where he sat on the edge and looked down into the water filled with so many rusting coins he couldn't even see the bottom. His reflection blinked up at him and it looked exhausted; his ears were drooping and there were bags under his eyes, but he wore a loose smile on his face.

"Dude!" A voice shouted from behind Fox, and he whipped his head around to see Bill running towards him.

Fox leapt up from his spot and grinned while he sprinted towards his best friend. They met in the middle with a rough embrace and Fox melted in his friend's arms while tears started to well up in his eyes. He kept them from spilling, but he knew it wouldn't last long.

"Been a while bro," Bill laughed as his arms tightened around Fox. His chest rumbled as he spoke and Fox had never loved the sound of his voice more.

"I thought you were dead." Fox's voice broke with the dam holding his tears back, and he cried into Bill's chest.

"Whoa, what?" Bill pulled away and held Fox by the shoulders. His ears drooped when he saw Fox's tears, and he lifted a hand for a second before dropping it.

"That attack on Katina..." Fox wiped his eyes and hugged Bill close once again. "Thought I lost you."

"I can survive anything." Bill rubbed circles on Fox's back with his hands. "I'm right here man. It's okay."

"I missed you so much." Fox let go of Bill and backed up a pace. He took a moment to look his friend over and found that his fur was shaggier and more unkempt then it had been in a while. His fur on the top of his head was starting to grow out; that wasn't up to Army code at all.

"I'm not goin' anywhere." Bill grinned and set his hands on his hips while he returned Fox's stare. Fox felt his stomach twist up in knots, and he broke his gaze.

"You look pretty casual." Fox sniffed and rid himself of the last tear on his face while he looked over the garish palm trees on Bill's bright blue button-up shirt.

Bill scratched the back of his neck and chuckled. "Yeah dude, I got discharged." He laughed harder at Fox's disbelieving look. "The General said he owed me a favor after that massacre, and I told him I wanted out," he explained after his laughter died down.

"Damn, how come?" Fox started to walk back towards the fountain and Bill fell into step with him.

"I was drafted into service when the War got bad, and I took my chance to get out." Bill shrugged before he shoved his hands into his pant pockets.

"I thought you had a knack for it." Fox sat on the rim of the fountain and Bill joined him. Fox clasped his hands together and cocked his head at his friend.

"Have a knack for flying, not for rules and regulations." Bill crossed his arms and looked up to the clear sky while his stormy grey eyes softened. "Dude, I always wanted to be a test pilot."

Fox's ears perked. "You've got the chance now!"

Bill hummed. "I just wanna slow down dude. Almost died a few weeks ago." He gave a lopsided grin and Fox rolled his eyes.

"What about when you broke your arm on that half-pipe and still insisted on taking your driving test the same day?" Fox laughed and set his hand on Bill's shoulder.

"Fair point, dude." Bill grinned and watched a vixen walk by them.

They fell silent and Fox stared down at the ground. He felt so much lighter with Bill next to him like he could accomplish any goal no matter how daunting it was.

"I missed this," Fox whispered, and Bill wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Me too." Bill grinned at him and Fox smiled back, his aviators masking his twinkling eyes.

"By the way dude, nice shades." Bill gave Fox a thumbs up. "You look great in them!" Fox scratched his neck as his cheeks burned.

"T- thanks, Bill." Fox checked his watch and saw that it was a quarter till six. "Crud, I need to go meet up with my team soon. Hate to cut this short." He frowned while he leaned into Bill's touch.

"It's no problem, dude." Bill released his grip and stood up before Fox did the same.

"Let's hang out tomorrow, okay?" Fox bounced on his heels and twiddled his thumbs as Bill remained silent, but he looked up to see a grin.

"Duh! How's… nine at this fountain?" Bill's smile changed into something more gentle and his eyes softened, which made Fox's heart melt.

"Of course!" Fox grinned and his heart started to beat faster.

"It's a date!" Bill winked and made finger guns at Fox, which made his hands tremble and ears twitch.

Fox laughed and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "See you tomorrow, I guess."

"See ya, dude!" Bill waved as he walked away and Fox did the same before he turned around.

Thankfully Fox's legs knew where to take him, for his mind was elsewhere as he traveled through the park en route to 3rd and Lincoln.

He scheduled a date with Bill! A date and they both agreed to it! Fox wanted to grin, he wanted to frown. His heart was racing, yet he felt a strange calm overtake him. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, and he could feel his heart rate start to slow down.

Maybe Bill felt the same as he did? Did he have feelings for Fox, or was that just him up to his usual tricks? He seemed… different during their talk. It could've just been because he nearly died, or…

Fox was ripped from his train of thought when he had to sidestep to avoid crashing into a wolf in a business suit that was talking into a phone and ignoring everything around him. He glared at the back of the businessman's head before continuing with his walk.

The sun was starting to fall from its zenith, and it lit the sky in an orange glow which reflected off of the glass high rises above Fox and made everything catch fire. He smiled at the sight before taking a crosswalk to get on 3rd Street.

The coffee shop was a small joint nestled between a hardware store and music kiosk so you had to be looking hard to find it. Fox frequented it before the war, and he was planning to do so once more. He stopped in front of the tinted windows and glanced up at the flickering neon sign above him named Sapho's before he entered the small building.

The interior was cramped with a counter taking up the back left quarter of the place and a stage in front of that. Tables and a few sofas littered the other half of the building, most of which were brown faux leather. The atmosphere was a mix of brooding and friendly with warm lighting contrasting a dark color palette, and Fox loved it.

"Fox!" Peppy called from a table in the corner as he waved him over. Fox smiled and sat next to Falco across from Slippy and Peppy. He took his sunglasses off and hung them at his neck.

"How'd reunion with your boyfriend go, Foxy?" Falco grinned while he punched Fox in the shoulder. He hid his face in a menu as it caught fire.

"I have a date with him tomorrow," Fox mumbled as he pretended to peruse the selection of drinks.

Falco blinked and cleared his throat. Fox looked up from the menu and saw Slippy's mouth hanging open and Peppy stroking his chin.

"You're kidding, right?" Falco rubbed his eyes, but Fox shook his head.

"It's what he called it." Fox rested his head in his hands and closed his eyes. He felt a warm and shaky hand come to rest on his shoulder a moment later, and he looked to Falco.

"Is that what you want?" Falco's eyes were soft and his smile sincere.

"I dunno…" Fox deflated. "I doubt that's what he meant it by." He bit his lip and shut his eyes and he felt Falco pat his shoulder.

"Bill's a funny guy, but he wouldn't joke about that." Falco stared down at the table. "Sorry for teasing ya."

Fox rolled his eyes. "What else is new?" A lazy grin appeared on his face for a split second before he looked across the table to Peppy.

"Hmm. You two have shared a bond since you were five; I'm not surprised." Peppy took a sip of his coffee and flashed an amused grin.

"Make sure to t-tell us how it goes." Slippy readjusted his hat and Fox gave him a thumbs up.

"Of course." Fox exhaled and felt a suffocating weight lift from his chest. "You guys are the best."

"Yeah, I know." Fox smacked Falco's shoulder and blew a raspberry at him. Falco snickered and flicked him on the nose, to which Fox yelped in surprise.

"So… what kind of grub does this place have?" Fox opened the menu and started to look for something for dinner.

Falco burped and patted his stomach as he set his fork down on the empty plate. "Damn, this place has great fillets!"

Peppy glared at Falco and he muttered an apology. "I'll go pay for this, you youngsters go wait outside." He grabbed the checkbook and got up from his seat before walking over to the bar.

Fox licked his chops and put his own fork on his plate of nearly-finished pancakes. He got up and exited the cafe with Falco and Slippy. The temperature was much cooler than the heat of the afternoon, although the sun hadn't quite gone down yet.

"Ready to head back to the Great Fox and get some shuteye?" Falco questioned after nudging Fox's shoulder.

Fox nodded. "Today's been exhausting." He scratched the back of his head. "Bill made it better, though."

"S-s-sounds like you'll have another one tomorrow." Slippy grinned and Fox rolled his eyes before he put his aviators on once again.

"I hope so." Fox smiled to himself as he thought of Bill, and the prospect of their friendship turning into something more stirred something up within his mind that he didn't know existed.

"Quit thinkin' about doin' it with him Foxy!" Falco pinched Fox's arm and he yelped before glaring at his friend. "Peppy's done, let's go!"

Peppy started off down the sidewalk and the other three followed him through the winding streets of the city to the local spaceport where the Great Fox was docked. The crowds of people and traffic were starting to shrink as everyone headed home, much to Fox's relief.

The sun was starting to sink into the horizon by the time they arrived at the dock their ship was located; it took a good twenty minutes just to get across a few blocks of the city. Everyone filed into the hulking metal beast and headed to their respective quarters to bunk down.

Fox bid Peppy and Slippy a good night and continued to walk with Falco down to the end of the barracks hallway where their rooms were located. Before Fox entered his, Falco tugged his arm.

"Make sure to get some beauty rest!" Fox aimed a halfhearted punch at Falco's head, but it was easily ducked by him.

"Screw off, you feathered demon." Fox flipped Falco the bird and smiled, to which he placed a hand on his chest and gasped in a most dramatic fashion.

"Why I never- I'm just suggesting that you prepare yourself for a very, very long day tomorrow!" Fox groaned before he opened his door and stepped into his room.

"Birdbrain," Fox mumbled as he set his sunglasses on the large mahogany desk by the door.

Fox peeled his dirty shirt and pants off and threw them in the overflowing hamper by his desk. Clad in only his briefs, he crawled into his small bunk and set his watch on the nightstand before grabbing his phone from the charger.

He situated himself under his covers and turned his phone on. A rainbow display lit up the screen for a moment before the boot completed and his lock screen appeared before him, a picture of him and his father smiling from when he was seven.

"Hey, dad." He unlocked his phone and opened his gallery.

Another picture of his dad greeted him among his favorited pictures, and he stared at it with longing. It was a picture of James, Peppy, and a sixteen-year-old Fox proudly showing off his pilot's license.

It was the last picture they ever took together.

"Peppy and all of us are all fine; we'll be taking more jobs soon to pay this ship off. Thanks for the debt by the way." Fox smiled and rolled to the side. "Pepper has been a little more strict on the planet lately, but I kind of understand. All these sanctions and security measures are driving me up the wall though, and I can't wait to leave."

Fox looked up at the glow in the dark star stickers on his ceiling, memoirs from his childhood and something he'd taken with him when he went to ear without much thought. They comforted him during the cold and nightmarish periods of sleep he had.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" He felt his cheeks warm up. "Bill and I are going on a date tomorrow! His words, not mine." He laughed before his expression sobered. "I don't know if he was joking… and I really hope he wasn't." The stars winked at him. "I think I'm in love with him, dad." He exhaled and closed his eyes.

"Bill is so sweet and caring and funny… jeez, I forgot how much I missed hearing his voice and hanging out with him. The war almost took him from me too." He sighed.

"Just keep watching over me, alright? I know I didn't tell you everything I should've when I was younger and I regret it, but I just want you to stay with me."

Fox turned his phone off, plugging it back into the charger on his nightstand before he snuggled up into his covers. He still felt cold, so he grabbed a spare pillow and curled up around it as he closed his eyes.

Sleep claimed him almost as soon as he shut his eyes, but a small part of him kept thinking about how much better it would be if something were different.

* * *

 _"I'm coming to your house, alright? Stay put and we'll talk." Peppy sounded tired and scared. Fox set the landline down on the table and stared, unblinking, out the kitchen window into the overcast sky._

 _He needed to run._

 _Fox grabbed the bomber and scarf from the coat hanger by the door and left his house after locking the door behind him. He descended the steps and bolted down the sidewalk as millions of thoughts coalesced inside his head._

 _His father was shot down? Betrayed? A declaration of war? He didn't know what to think anymore._

 _He dodged a mailman and jaywalked across the street. He passed through the entrance of his neighborhood and ran faster. Trees and people and cars whizzed by him. Thousands of voices in his head were clamoring for attention. Rain started to hit his muzzle._

 _It wasn't possible. It couldn't be! His dad promised he'd be home safe!_

 _He entered a familiar neighborhood and sprinted down the worn sidewalk as his lungs burned and legs ached. They carried him down an old dirt road at the back of the place and turned him down a worn gravel path through some tall grass. The rain was picking up._

 _He stopped in front of a porch whose wood was old and cracked. The screen door looked ready to fall over on him as he knocked on it. The rain pounded harder and soaked him through the bone. Lightning flashed in the corner of his vision when he knocked again, harder._

 _A greyhound opened the screen door, clad in sweatpants and a hoodie. "Bro, we aren't supposed to hang out until to-"_

 _Fox stepped into the house, wrapped his soggy arms around Bill's body and buried his face in his neck. Bill hesitated for a moment before returning the hug._

 _"What's wrong, man?" Fox felt the dam start to break in front of his best friend._

 _"My dad's-" He choked out a sob. "He's gone," he whispered as shivers racked through his body._

 _"Oh, damn." Bill hugged him tighter, and Fox cried into his shoulder._

 _He whimpered and whined and Bill held him through his shaking, rocking him back and forth ever so gently. Fox screamed and shouted, his voice cracking and broken._

 _Somehow they had ended up on the futon in Bill's room, and Bill had managed to take Fox's coat and scarf off and throw them into a corner. They laid on the couch and Bill kept holding onto his friend while his whole world fell apart._

 _"I've got you, it's okay." Bill kept repeating comforting words until Fox cried himself empty, and even after that he still held onto his friend like it was his only tether to reality._

 _"Stay here, please." Fox's voice was raw and scratchy. He dug his claws into Bill's back while he felt Bill rubbing circles on his._

 _"Never gonna leave you dude." Bill tightened his grip, and for those short few moments, they were the only things that mattered in the entire universe._

 _"They're gonna send you to war." Fox stated this as if it were fact, and Bill sighed._

 _"Just focus on me." Bill's fur tickled Fox's face and he breathed deeply, inhaling his friend's pineapple cologne. He felt his heart slow down, but he knew he'd be crying more later._

 _"I can't believe he's…" Fox couldn't finish the sentence as he felt his throat tighten. Bill hummed_  
 _and pulled away until they were staring at each other._

 _"Me neither." Bill reached a hand out and rested it on Fox's head, running his fingers through the smooth fur._

 _"I've gotta prepare a funeral. Shit." Fox covered his mouth and shut his eyes._

 _"Dude, don't think about that." Bill used his hand to bring their foreheads together until they were touching. "Just you and me."_

 _Fox sighed, relishing the warmth they shared. "Th- thank you."_

 _"I will always be here." Bill closed his eyes and grabbed Fox's hand, and Fox allowed himself a small smile._

 _No words were needed from then on. They laid there, the only two living beings in the entire universe tangled up in a futon couch._

 _Everything else dissolved into negative space, leaving them alone._

* * *

A/N: It's been a while since I've posted, I've been dealing with some self-esteem issues and writer's block. I would like to thank Reciprocate for pushing me through and helping support me while I've been writing this fic. I hope you all have enjoyed and that you'll leave a review.


	2. Shi

Fox awoke with tears in his eyes. He reached for something next to him that wasn't there and an overwhelming pit of sadness opened up in his chest.

He wiped the tears away as the memory replayed itself in his mind. That day wasn't one he would forget, and even though Bill said he wouldn't let go…

He shook his head. That was in the past and he needed to focus on today. He reached around for his phone and dragged it into his line of sight before turning it on to check the time. It read five past seven; he had plenty of time to get ready for his date.

What was he going to wear?

Fox shot out of bed with a newfound energy, and the adrenaline carried him to the closet where he clawed through it for something presentable.

He doubted they'd be going somewhere fancy, so he settled on a nice pair of jeans and a plain green tank top. After putting them on he grabbed his boots, wallet, and sunglasses before he ran outside with the locker room as his next destination.

He entered the large room and weaved through the walls of lockers to get to the showers. After quickly ridding himself of his clothes, he stepped into the empty communal shower. The team all normally showered at night, but Fox had been too exhausted to do so.

Ten minutes of vigorous scrubbing and washing later Fox stepped out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist, headed to one of the benches, and picked up his phone to check the time, which read a quarter after seven.

He dressed after drying off and walked over to one of the sinks on the far side of the room. Each member of the team had claimed a sink on their wall as their own, and Fox's was in the corner.

Once he combed his poofy headfur down flat he brushed his teeth. The toothpaste washed down the drain and he watched it vanish with a small amount of interest before setting his brush down. It was funny to think that he'd done all of that on autopilot without even quite remembering what he did.

He left the locker room and turned down the hall to the mess, his stomach growling in pain as he walked; he should've eaten more at the cafe last night.

When Fox walked into the mess he wasn't surprised to see Peppy holding a tablet and taking sips from a mug of coffee while he was seated at one of the many tables in the room. His ears twitched before he looked up and waved at Fox, who returned the gesture.

"Up early for your big date?" Peppy asked, and Fox rolled his eyes. Falco really was a bad influence on everyone.

"Just getting something quick before I leave." Fox walked to the kitchen that took up the back wall of the place and started to search the cupboards.

"You nervous?" Peppy's voice was riddled with concern, which seemed to be common nowadays.

Fox shrugged before he pulled a box of protein bars down from one of the higher shelves. "A little. Still not sure if this is really gonna be a date." He grabbed a lemon flavored bar and put the box back up.

"But it's what you want." Peppy's voice was soft. They locked eyes when Fox turned around, and as much as he didn't want to admit, Peppy was right. Fox looked away and took a bite of his bar.

"I thought so. Hmm." Peppy stroked his chin and turned back to his tablet. "Whatever you do, you've got my blessing."

Fox felt his cheeks burn. "Th- thanks." He glanced at his watch. Ten till eight; time to go.

Fox bid Peppy goodbye and left the mess while he continued to eat his protein bar. It was finally time to head to the park and meet with Bill; his tail was wagging at the very thought of spending the day with his best friend.

Without thinking about it, he had taken the elevator down and exited the open hangar of the Great Fox to be greeted with the sweltering heat of Corneria City. As he started to walk through the spaceport he slid his sunglasses on and stuck earbuds in. Once he had chosen a rock playlist he put his phone away and crumbled the cellophane wrapper into a ball, where he then tossed it into a trashcan by some chatting tourists.

Fox exited the bustling spaceport as he walked in time to the beat of the song. The bassline reverberated through his skull and sent a giddy feeling spiraling through his chest and arms which made him feel like he could do anything. His trot picked up into a light jog through the city as his patience started to slip further and further away.

How badly he wanted to see Bill! His chest ached and his stomach fluttered in this unexplainable way at the thought. They had so much lost time to make up for.

It took Fox a half hour to reach the park even with his quickened pace, and he was left panting when he reached the fountain in the center. There was still about forty minutes until Bill was due to show up, so he sat on the rim of the fountain to cool off under the scorching sun.

Families and couples were sitting on benches around him or walking from here to there, and a snow cone truck was even set up on the far end of the cobblestone circle that encompassed the ornate fountain. He made a mental note to get one with Bill when he showed up later.

Fox yawned and stretched his arms above him. After he changed the current playlist from rock to something a little more peaceful, he opened the news app on his phone. There wasn't much to read that wasn't about Star Fox's victory or rebuilding efforts across the system other than the occasional scientific breakthrough, so he turned his phone off with a sigh and focused his gaze on the clear sky.

For once there weren't Arwings patrolling Cornerian airspace; he couldn't remember another time when it was like that. Monthly air raid drills, school classes about what to do in the event of an invasion, and plenty of other things that melded in with everything else. Those memories went with being a child of war, he supposed.

"Yo, dude!" Fox snapped his gaze down to search for the source of the voice, only to see Bill running towards him. His tail started to wag, much to his embarrassment, but he was unable to control its actions.

"You're twenty minutes early." Fox smiled and Bill kicked at his shin when he came to a stop.

"They say that when you arrive on time you're already late." Bill adjusted the collar of his Hawaiian button up so it wasn't sticking up while he spoke. Fox nodded before he got up to stand with Bill.

"We've got the whole day together, so what's first?" Fox set his hands on his hips.

Bill scratched his chin while he looked around. His gaze settled on a certain truck a short moment later. "Snow cones!" He exclaimed as he pointed to the stand.

Fox snickered before nodding. "Good idea; I can already tell it's gonna be a hot one today." They walked over to the truck and got in the short line.

"Wanna grab breakfast after this?" Bill set his hands behind his neck and crossed his legs. Fox gave him a thumbs up.

"Sounds good, I've only had a protein bar today." Fox's stomach still felt empty and in need of a good egg or three.

When it was Fox's turn he ordered a cherry snow cone while Bill got a pineapple one. Fox took a bite and smiled while Bill chuckled.

After they paid for their treats they started to walk down the cobblestone road as the sun beat down on them. Bill quickly finished his snow cone and threw the cup in a nearby trash can, but Fox still had quite a bit of his left. He laughed when he saw Bill eyeing it with a hunger in his eyes.

"You want a bite?" Bill nodded and Fox held a spoonful out for him to take. Rather than grabbing the spoon, Bill leaned right over and ate it. Fox's face heated up when Bill hummed in appreciation.

"Where should we eat dude?" Bill and Fox left the park a few moments later, and Fox threw his now empty cup away.

The two had stopped at a crosswalk, their path now branching in two. The cars flew by them and the digital billboards looked down at them, which made Fox feel a crushing wave of nostalgia carry him out to sea. He knew where he wanted to go.

"Follow me." Fox saw the traffic come to a halt and joined the crowd commuting across the huge crosswalk.

He was just another face in an endless crowd of thousands of individual lives coming together and touching, no matter how insiginificantly, just for a moment. It was an odd thought that reverberated through him while he walked across the pavement with his best friend.

They walked down the sidewalks with Fox leading. The restaurant wasn't too far away, and he hoped it wouldn't be too crowded either.

A few street corners and dodged questions from Bill later they stopped in front of an old diner cradled between a clothing store and tattoo parlor. The exterior walls were made of metal in a ribbed fashion and a large window took up most of the space below the neon sign.

"What's this place, Fox? 'Stormie's Diner?'" Bill looked at Fox with raised brows.

"Dad and I went here all the time. Glad it survived the attack." Fox's voice was soft, and a part of his mind told him he wasn't ready to revisit those old memories just yet.

Bill's warm hand came to rest on his shoulder. "Then I'm sure the food will be gnarly!" His eyes were so big and sincere that they made Fox's heart melt.

"They've got the best burgers and fries you'll ever have!" Fox grinned and pulled Bill along into the diner. A bell ringed when he pushed open the door and entered the building.

Going to the diner always felt like entering another world to Fox. Posters and pictures of celebrities from before even his dad was born were plastered all over the walls, and old music was blaring from a stereo behind the bar that took up a good fourth of the seating area.

"This place is sick!" Bill's eyes darted around the place as he tried to soak everything in. Fox took him by the wrist and led them to a booth next to the front window where they sat across from each other.

Menus had already been laid out on the table, but Fox didn't need to take a look at one. "Wait until you try the food." He smiled as a cat waitress walked up to them.

"What can I get y'all to drink?" She pulled a notepad and pencil from her belt and smiled back at Fox.

"Just water for me, please," Fox answered.

Bill had only just picked up his menu and was scrambling to get to the drinks section. His eyes darted about the page before they settled on something. "Cherry Cola, light ice please." The waitress nodded and walked to the bar.

"Any idea of what you'll get?" Fox clasped his hands together and set them on the table as he cocked his head to the side.

"Can't decide on anything; it all looks so great!" Bill was practically salivating all over the menu, which made Fox laugh. He was… really damn cute like that.

"Take your time." Fox watched Bill pore over the menu with scrunched up brows and part of his tongue sticking out of his mouth.

A moment later Bill snapped the menu closed with a nod and focused his warm gaze on Fox. "After this can we go somewhere I wanna go, man?"

Fox nodded. "Anywhere you like." His chest warmed at seeing the bright smile on Bill's face.

The waitress came back with their drinks and set them on the table. "Y'all know what you're gettin'?" Fox motioned for Bill to go first.

Bill cleared his throat. "Right, I'll have the steakburger with everything on it and a side of fries. Oh, and could you put that steak seasoning on the fries please?" The waitress chuckled and nodded before turning to Fox.

"I'll have a tall stack of chocolate pancakes and some bacon please." The waitress wrote their orders down and picked their menus up before she said she'd be back with their food soon.

"How come you're getting that?" Bill raised a brow and leaned back in his seat.

"It's what I always get here." Fox looked down at his fists on the table. "Dad would tell me I could get whatever toy I wanted at the store if I ate everything." His hands fell open and he smiled. "I think he knew I always would."

"That's real sweet." Bill reached over and touched Fox's hand after a moment of hesitation. "You remember that day too?"

Fox nodded while his hand started to burn. "Like it was yesterday." He looked away and sighed. "I never apologized for intruding on you that day."

Bill snickered and Fox looked up at him with a frown. Bill then burst into laughter, his hands clutching his sides. Fox smiled a little, but his eyes were still scrunched up in concern.

When Bill calmed down, he finally spoke. "Bro, you never had to apologize for that!"

Fox's ears drooped. "Doesn't mean I don't feel bad."

Bill nodded and took his hand again. "My door is always gonna be open for ya'." Fox's face heated up and he looked away to study the posters on the walls of the diner.

The waitress arrived a few moments later and set two hulking plates of food on either side of the table. Fox started salivating as he gazed at the tower of pancakes resting in front of him. They both thanked her before digging into their meals.

Fox inhaled the bacon before setting to work on his daunting task. He took that first bite with gusto, glad that he hadn't eaten much of anything prior to that meal. He glanced up every so often while he ate to see Bill scarfing his burger down; Fox was surprised he had been worried that Bill might not like the food earlier.

By the time Fox had but a quarter of his pancakes left he was starting to feel full, but he always promised to eat it all. Bill had finished his burger and was snacking on his fries while he watched Fox force more food in his mouth.

"Don't choke on your aspirations." Bill laughed before he ate a few more fries. Fox glared at him over his fork.

"Shuddup." Fox ate the last chunk of his pancake and set the fork down with a clank. He sighed and patted his full to bursting stomach.

"Gotta work this energy off later," Fox remarked while he pushed his plate away. "How was your food?"

Bill gave a thumbs up. "Best burger I've had in forever!" He took one last sip of his cola and got up. "We splitting the tab?"

Fox shook his head. "My treat." He didn't give Bill a chance to protest for he walked over to the bar and waved the waitress down.

"Total is sixteen credits." He pulled out his debit card and it to her. She leaned in and spoke in a hushed voice. "If he wasn't dating you I would've gone after him." Fox felt his face catch fire.

Did they really look like that? How could everyone make that assumption? "O- okay." She handed him his card back and waved.

"Have a nice day, y'all!" The waitress exclaimed as the two exited the diner.

Bill took the lead this time and Fox followed behind him as he started to the east down the sidewalks. "Where are we headed?"

"The mall!" Bill stuffed his hands in his pockets and grinned over his shoulder. Fox smiled back and quickened his pace to walk alongside Bill.

"Sounds awesome! Been itching to shop?" Bill nodded.

"That, and it's the perfect hangout spot." Something in Fox's chest swelled and burned.

"Anywhere with you is the perfect hangout spot." Fox's words were quiet and he looked away, afraid of the response. What he got was a laugh and slap on the back.

"Same to you, man!" Bill wrapped an arm around Fox's shoulders as they walked. Fox tried to recall a map of the city in his head, but with all of the construction, it was hard to tell where everything was anymore.

"There are a lot of malls; which one are we headed to?" Fox raised his brow.

"That little one we went to all the time in high school!" Fox felt a sense of nostalgia overtake him as scattered memories flooded into his mind.

"Awesome." Fox knew that they were close now; it was a few blocks to their east.

As the pair walked, Fox noticed that the streets weren't too busy. It could certainly be the pre-lunch slump, but the city just felt slightly less full than usual.

He could also catch torn remnants of propaganda posters hanging on some of the steel walls, where mangled parts of General Pepper's face stared out at him. He shuddered, for the city seemed to feel a little less homey than it used to.

"There's the mall!" Bill exclaimed as he pointed to a glass structure sticking out from the monotony of the steel high rises.

It was about three-quarters of a city block in size, with the last quarter reserved for a parking garage. The mall itself was four stories tall and filled with about anything you could imagine, but it wasn't close to the largest mall in Corneria.

Fox and Bill picked up the pace, and within a few minutes they had crossed another road and came to a halt on the steps in front of the entrance to the mall.

"Glad to see this place hasn't changed," Fox remarked as they climbed the steps.

"Most of the damage is on the south side of the city by the coast, dude."

They entered the mall through the automatic doors and were greeted with the glass and marble architecture of the mall. Everything was in immaculate condition, and even the floors seemed free of scuff marks.

All of the front entrances to the stores were glass walls to fit the theme with neon signs hanging over each one, extending three more floors up. The mall itself was shaped like a giant "L" while the floors were stacked up like a staircase on either side.

Bill and Fox marveled at the sight for a moment before walking over to a digital map surrounded by a few sofas and chairs. They had to move around a few people to see the map properly.

"Where do you want to go?" Fox looked over at Bill and rested a hand on his hip. Bill hummed while he looked down the lengthy list.

A moment later a grin split his muzzle. "Surf shop, bro!" Fox nodded in approval while he smiled. "It's just up there, too!" Bill pointed up and to their left, where a sign with a palm tree and a surfboard hung over a doorway on the second floor.

Fox and Bill found a staircase near the entrance and took it to the second floor. There were fewer people crowding the walkways than on the ground floor, but maneuvering was still difficult.

"My squadron was deployed on Aquas for a few weeks, you know; the waves were so amazing!" Bill sighed and crossed his arms. "Damn, I wish I brought my board with me when we were there." Fox chuckled.

"I'll take you there on the Great Fox!" An idea sprung up in Fox's mind. "We could go on a vacation to Aquas together!"

They had stopped in front of the shop, and Bill had the stupidest grin on his face. "You'd seriously take me?" Fox nodded. "Radical!" Bill clapped him on the shoulder and laughed.

Fox felt a warm feeling expand through his chest when he watched Bill cheer, and he knew he wanted to see him that happy as often as he could. Fox caught Bill's tail wagging furiously behind him and that feeling only intensified.

"Let's pick a board out for you then." Fox entered the surf shop and waved for Bill to follow.

The store was rather small, but packed full to the brim with surfboards, Hawaiian shirts, and tons of swim gear. Fox saw Bill's eyes light up as he walked to the far wall where the boards were being displayed. His heart swelled for what must've been the millionth time that day when he saw that childlike wonder appear on his friend's face.

They were of various colors and priced differently depending on what brand they were made by, which made Fox scratch his head. Who cared who made them as long as they worked?

"Any of 'em catch your eye?" Fox smiled and set a hand on his hip.

Bill nodded and pointed to a rainbow-colored board towards the middle of the wall. "That one's calling to me man, and it's only two-hundred credits! What a steal!" He clasped his hands together.

"I'll pay for it." Fox pulled out his card from his wallet.

Bill's eyes widened and he shook his head. "No, wait you don't-"

Fox held up his hand. "I insist. I want to get you something special." Bill nodded and smiled.

Fox walked over to the cashier and paid for the board. The cashier then walked over and took the board down and handed it to Bill. They thanked him and walked out of the shop and back into the busy mall with one new board in hand.

"This is damn sick; I can't thank you enough!" Bill wrapped Fox in a hug, who reciprocated with vigor.

"A- any time." Fox buried his neck in the crook of Bill's shoulder and he felt his face and chest warm up. "Hey, there's something I need to say." He pulled back until their faces were mere inches apart.

"What is it?"

Fox's heart pounded in his ears, and he took a breath. He opened his mouth to say what he wanted-

And then something ran into him from behind. Fox heard a somebody shout an apology, but when he turned around, nobody was there. He looked back at Bill, but those words weren't forming anymore.

"Anywhere else you wanna go?" Fox faked a smile.

Bill hummed and looked around for a moment. "How about… that imported goods store?" He pointed to a large store on the same floor down the walkway.

"Okay; I've never been to one, but it sounds awesome!" Fox gave Bill a thumbs up and they started to walk to the store.

From what Fox could see through the front windows, there were tons of shelves stocked full of colorful goods of all shapes and sizes. He grinned and pulled Bill through the front doors.

The establishment was deeper than Fox had expected, and sections of the place were divided by what planet the products were from. The front of the store held Katinian imports, and behind that was Fortuna, Zoness, Macbeth, Aquas, and Fichina.

"This is awesome!" Fox took in the medley of new sights and scents with a laugh. "Look at those model cars… oh and that weird candy!"

Bill and Fox browsed the aisles in the Katinian section for a few minutes and grabbed a few things they found interesting and cheap and put them in a basket, some of which included those toy cars.

Once they had gone through that section, they moved on to Fortuna. The majority of that aisle was all sorts of exotic fruits and meats lined up for display, some gross and others tantalizing. They didn't see anything that interested them in that section, so they decided to wander until they saw something that popped out to them.

"Hey, Macbethian printed shirts!" Fox pointed to a clothing rack and grinned. He walked over to them and started rummaging through the shirts.

"Dude, do you even know what those say?" Bill laughed.

Fox turned around to stick his tongue out at Bill. "No, but some of them look cool!" He pulled out a grey t-shirt that had a picture of a Macbethian starship and some unfamiliar text below it.

"For all you know that's profane language." Bill crossed his arms, but he still held an easy smile on his face.

"All the better." Fox put the shirt in the basket and hit Bill's shoulder lightly. "Where to next?"

* * *

Fox and Bill left the store with a bag full of imported goods and slightly emptier pockets, but they both decided it was worth it.

"What time is it, dude?" Bill readjusted the grip on his surfboard while they strolled down the walkway.

Fox looked down at his watch. "Half past noon." His stomach took that cue to growl, and he laughed. "Wanna head to the food court?"

"Absolutely!"

They found an elevator and took it down to the ground floor. The food court was right in the middle of the mall, and it had dozens of restaurants to choose from.

Fox could remember spending his afternoons here eating junk food and hanging out with his friends. Even if it wasn't the same as it used to be, he still had those opportunities with Bill.

"What do you want to eat?" Bill looked around as did Fox.

"How about pizza?" Fox pointed to a pizza parlor to their right that didn't look terribly crowded.

"Sounds good." They walked over to the parlor, which was more of a bar situated right in front of the kitchen. Bill leaned his board against one of the stools and sat down, Fox sitting right next to him.

An older looking husky greeted them with a kind smile. "What can I get you two?"

Bill looked over at Fox with a silent question in his eye. Fox nodded, and he turned back. "Large pizza, half pepperoni, half pineapple, please."

The husky nodded and started to get to work. "I'll be about fifteen minutes!"

Fox smiled. "Pineapple is still your favorite?"

"Dude, it's the best and only topping to get on my pizza!" He crossed his arms and huffed.

"At least you're nice enough to cater to my uncultured tastes." Fox did a mock bow, and they both laughed.

Fox looked over at the rainbow-colored board. "Man, that one is so much nicer than your first," he remarked.

"You're telling me; could barely stay above water with it!" Bill rested his arms on the bar and Fox mimicked him.

"Good thing a kind little fox saved your life when you fell." Fox smiled, and Bill scratched the back of his neck. Was he… embarrassed?

"And that little fox needed to be saved by his dad when he couldn't carry me back to shore." Bill smiled back at Fox, and it was his turn to look away.

"Great first impression I made," Fox muttered, scratching his chin. Bill touched his shoulder, and he felt his face catch fire.

"Trying to save my life is an amazing first impression, bro." Fox looked at Bill and saw so warm a smile his arms turned into jelly. He tried to say something, but he was just stammering and stuttering. Bill laughed and slapped him on the back.

"Look, the food's here!" The wolf set their pizza between them, still steaming hot. Fox licked his chops and smiled.

"Thank you very much!" Fox and Bill recited before grabbing some plates. They grabbed two slices each and dug into the molten cheese.

Fox felt like a kid again, eating pizza on a hot summer day with Bill. He longed for it to be like it used to.

"We always spent the summers as a pack. I…" Fox felt a wave melancholy sweep him away into a sea of longing. "I want it back." Tears pricked at his vision, and he set his crust down.

"I miss it too, but we can't live in the past." Bill wrapped an arm around Fox's shoulders and drew him close. "Let's enjoy this right here."

Fox nodded and took another slice of pizza. "Okay." Bill didn't drop his arm.

"We've still got the whole afternoon; where do you want to go after this, man?" Bill cocked his head.

Fox's ears perked; an idea quickly came to mind. "Want to head to the Great Fox and hang out?" He asked, hopeful smile on his face.

"Totally!" Bill exclaimed through a slice of pizza. Fox laughed at him.

They finished the whole pizza a few minutes later and thanked the chef profusely for such a wonderful meal. Fox had to admit that it was one of the best pizzas he'd ever eaten, and Bill agreed.

Fox and Bill grabbed their things and left the mall soon after. When they stepped outside, the heat hit them like a bus, and Fox groaned.

"Good thing the mall isn't far from the spaceport; this is horrible." Fox started to pant; oh how he wished he had thin fur!

"Holy shit, I'm dying." Bill started hurrying down the steps, making Fox run to catch up with him.

"It's worse than yesterday!" Fox's shirt was already starting to cling to him from the humidity. How could the temperature have risen so much in just the past hour?

They walked through the city and sweltering heat to the spaceport, and while they traveled, Fox saw more people driving down the streets and walking around. It still wasn't how it used to be before he left, and that scared him. Why was the city so silent?

"Bill, where is everyone?" Fox felt a shiver run down his spine.

Bill sighed. "Some people left the planet when the war started, but you weren't really here long enough after Andross attacked it." His hands were shaking.

"W- what does that mean?" Fox already knew the answer to that question.

"A lot of people died. At least a million, but we aren't sure."

Blood was pounding in his ears. He felt numb.

Fox said nothing as they continued to his ship.

He said nothing when someone accidentally slammed into him and sent him sprawling to the floor in the spaceport.

He didn't even register that Bill held his hand the entire time they walked.

Before Fox knew it, he and Bill were laying next to each other on his bed in his room and looking up at the fake stars on the ceiling.

"I couldn't save them." Fox's voice was barely a whisper. He felt like crying, but no tears came.

"You did your best." Bill turned on his side to look at Fox.

"It wasn't good enough… nobody ever told me about the casualties…" Fox started to choke up. Bill gently pulled him close into an embrace.

"Nobody can fault you for trying. I never have." Bill's words were kind and gentle. Fox dug his fingers into his soft fur and combed through it rhythmically. He slowed his breaths.

"Don't leave." Fox wrapped himself tighter around Bill.

"I won't."

Fox listened to Bill's steady heartbeat and closed his eyes. He could hear Bill start to hum an old nursery rhyme out of tune, but that was okay. He was lulled into sleep from the soft rumbles of Bill's chest.

He swore he could hear Bill murmur something just as he slipped under.

I love you.

* * *

When Fox awoke, he felt cold. He opened his eyes to a dark room, and he was tucked underneath his covers, but Bill was nowhere to be found. His surfboard, however, was still leaning against the wall.

Fox crawled out of bed and opened the blinds on his window. The sun was hanging low in the horizon, and the skyscrapers cast a spiderweb of shadows on the ground. The glass forest was quieter than it used to be. A new predator was briefly introduced to the land, it decimated biodiversity and left before anything could be done.

He turned away. His stomach twisted painfully.

He left his room and went down the hallway to the elevator. He rode it to the top floor, the auxiliary mechanics center, or Slippy's workshop. There was a hatch there that would take you to the top of the Great Fox.

Fox found the ladder in the midst of Slippy's junk and climbed it. He opened the hatched and was greeted with a gentle heat and orange sky.

Bill was already there, sitting down and staring at the sun. Fox joined him, and together they lazed on the metal hull of his five-story tall spaceship.

"How'd you find this place?" Fox looked over at Bill.

"I asked Peppy." Bill smiled sheepishly.

Fox grabbed Bill's hand. "Thank you for earlier. I'm sorry." His ears flattened.

"Nothing to be sorry for." That easy smile returned.

"Did you have a good day otherwise?" The sunlight lit up Bill's face and made his features seem softer.

"Dude, it was radical! Today was the best!" Bill sat up straight and wrapped an arm around Fox to draw him closer. "It was just like the old days!"

"But we won't be able to do this for much longer." Fox stared at the sun. He felt truly exhausted for the first time since the Lylat Wars had begun.

"I wish we could." Bill dropped his arm and looked down at his hands.

Fox hummed. "Maybe… maybe we can." His ears perked. Bill cocked his head and motioned for Fox to elaborate. "Join my team."

Bill opened his mouth to speak, but Fox held up a hand. "I know. It'll be rough, and you might not get paid much and you said you wanted to be a test pilot, and it isn't cushy like the army-"

"I want to join." Bill grabbed Fox's hands and pushed them to the ground. "I'm in."

A moment of silence lapsed between them. Fox felt something molten and primal rise in his chest. He laughed.

Bill laughed with him. He squeezed Bill's hands tight.

Fox leaned in and Bill did the same. Their lips touched and the world caught fire in that last breath of the sinking sun.

Fox wrapped his arms around Bill and held him close while they kissed. He felt his body turn into sparks and heat and joy and love.

Bill pulled back, and they touched their foreheads together. Fox laughed again.

"I love you." Fox's words were soft and shy. His face heated up.

Bill smiled. "Love you too." He held Fox's hand and ran his thumb over Fox's knuckles.

"You won't leave me, right?" Fox rested his head against Bill's chest and listened to his steady heartbeat. It was thumping erratically, and he couldn't help but let out a snicker.

"Never, dude." Fox leaned up and kissed Bill again.

The sun breathed its last and sunk beneath the horizon. An old and long age just ended, but it made room for new growth. The fears and horrors of the past would heal and leave scars, but it would leave the new era a foundation.

Fox was ready to step into the new one with Bill at his side.


End file.
